49ers’ coaching staff changes begin after Joe Woods signs with Browns

The 49ers’ defensive coaching staff will look a little different in 2020.

The Cleveland Browns on Friday officially announced the hire of former 49ers defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Joe Woods, in a move that started a domino effect on changes to the 49ers’ coaching staff.

Woods spent the 2019 season with the 49ers after three years as the Broncos’ defensive coordinator. He’ll fill that role again with the Browns after a successful year with San Francisco. He helped turn one of the league’s worst secondaries into one of its best with minimal turnaround.

Departing with Woods is former 49ers pass rush specialist Chris Kiffin. Kiffin helped out on the 49ers’ staff for two seasons, and will now take over as the Browns’ defensive line coach.

Their exits opened two positions on the 49ers’ coaching staff.

San Francisco quickly went to work searching for Woods’ replacement though. It’s the second time in as many seasons they’ve needed to add a new defensive backs coach after Jeff Hafley’s departure last offseason. Matt Barrows of the Athletic on Friday reported San Francisco is interviewing former Dolphins defensive backs coach Tony Oden.

Oden, 47, broke into the NFL as a defensive assistant with the Texans in 2004. He coached the Saints’ secondary from 2006-2011, then held the same position for one year in Jacksonville and one year in Tampa Bay. Oden was the Lions’ cornerbacks coach for four seasons before spending the last two years with the Dolphins.

Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek and Oden were on the same Lions staff from 2014 to 2017.

Oden helped coach players like Darrelle Revis, Darius Slay, Xavien Howard and Minkah Fitzpatrick during his last three stops. Despite a sub-par roster, the Dolphins in 2019 still managed to pull down 13 interceptions – tied for the 12th-most in the NFL.

It’s likely Oden would take on the expanded role of passing game coordinator as well as the defensive backs coach spot.

Kiffin’s replacement was already hired according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM radio. Former Bills assistant defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton will be San Francisco’s new pass rush specialist.

Whitecotton was an assistant on the Jaguars’ defensive staff from 2013-2016, and signed on with Buffalo in 2017 where he spent the last three seasons.

The Bills last year tied for the NFL lead in tackles for loss, and boasted the ninth-best sack rate in the league. Whitecotton will work under Kocurek in the same role as Kiffin.